The Sacred Heart of Jesus: A Christian Response to "Pride Month"

Have you ever considered what truly defines you? In a world that increasingly encourages people to identify themselves by their desires and inclinations, we face a profound question: Where does our deepest identity lie?

Who am I, really? What is the most authentic expression of me?

This question echoes through both personal experience and cultural conversation, particularly as we observe the cultural juxtaposition of June as both the traditional month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and what contemporary society designates as "Pride Month." This intersection invites us to explore how the heart of Christ informs our understanding of human identity and love.

 

The Sacred Heart: Biblical and Theological Foundations

The devotion to the Sacred Heart, while developed over centuries of spiritual reflection, finds its foundation in Scripture's revelation of Christ's interior life and compassionate disposition. The prophet Jeremiah anticipated this divine self-disclosure: "I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD" (Jer 24:7), using the heart as a powerful metaphor for intimate knowledge of God.

Jesus himself extends this invitation: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart (ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ), and you will find rest for your souls" (Mt 11:28-29). The Greek construction ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ (tapeinos tē kardia) reveals something essential about Christ's identity—his humility exists at the very core of his being, not as a peripheral quality but as central to who he is.

The Gospel of John provides perhaps the most vivid image related to Christ's heart when it records that at the crucifixion, "one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water" (Jn 19:34). Early Christian interpreters saw in this flow the birth of the sacramental life of the Church, while also recognizing it as a literal opening of the Savior's heart to humanity.

 

Identity Rooted in Creation and Redemption

Our contemporary culture increasingly locates personal identity in subjective experience, particularly in sexual orientation and gender expression. This stands in marked contrast to biblical anthropology, which grounds human identity first in creation—"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27)—and then in redemption—"You are not your own, for you were bought with a price" (1 Cor 6:19-20).

The Hebrew Scriptures employ the word לֵב (lev, "heart") over 800 times, signifying not merely emotions but the integrated center of thought, will, and character. When Ezekiel prophesies, "I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you" (Ezek 36:26), he speaks of a fundamental reorientation of human identity toward God—not self-discovery but divine transformation.

This understanding of identity formation stands in striking contrast to contemporary emphasis on self-definition through desire.

Where modern culture often celebrates desire as the pathway to authenticity, Scripture presents desire itself as something in need of redemption: "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col 3:5).

 

The Heart of Christ: Love's True Nature

The heart of Jesus reveals love's true nature—simultaneously passionate and self-giving, defined not by what it demands but by what it offers.

As the theological tradition reminds us, God's love for humanity combines both eros and agape—it is both desirous and sacrificial, bestowed gratuitously and expressed in forgiveness.

This divine love presents a radical alternative to contemporary conceptions of identity through desire. The love flowing from Christ's heart is not self-affirming but self-emptying: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Phil 2:5-7).

 

Compassion Without Compromise

How did the heart of Jesus respond to those whose lives contradicted divine commands? The Gospels repeatedly employ the Greek verb σπλαγχνίζομαι (splanchnizomai)—"to be moved with compassion"—to describe Jesus' reaction to human need (Mt 9:36, Mk 1:41, Lk 7:13). This term literally refers to being moved in one's inward parts, a visceral compassion that characterized his interactions even with those who violated God's law.

Consider his encounter with the woman caught in adultery. His response—"Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more" (Jn 8:11)—perfectly balances grace and truth. He neither affirmed her behavior nor rejected her person, establishing a pattern for Christian engagement with those whose lives diverge from biblical teaching.

This balanced approach reflects the truth that love seeks the authentic good of the beloved. As the theological tradition teaches, "To love is to will the good of another." This definition clarifies our approach—we can genuinely love individuals while disagreeing about what constitutes their true flourishing.

 

Finding Our True Identity

We find our identities not in what 'turns us on' or our orientations, but in Jesus' heart. This echoes Paul's revolutionary declaration: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20).

Our identification with Christ is both decisive and continuous.

This identification transforms how we understand ourselves. The restlessness that drives many to seek identity in various forms of self-expression finds its true resolution not in affirming every desire but in reorienting desire toward its proper end. As Augustine observed, our hearts remain restless until they rest in God—a universal human condition that transcends all other categories of identity.

 

Sacred Heart Engagement in Practice

How then do Christians manifest the heart of Jesus in a culture celebrating pride? Several principles emerge:

1. Authentic Compassion: The Greek term σπλαγχνίζομαι reminds us that Christian love is not mere sentiment but visceral compassion that moves toward rather than away from those with whom we disagree. Jesus did not avoid those whose lives contradicted divine commands but engaged them with transformative love.

2. Inseparable Truth and Mercy: Paul's exhortation to "speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15) provides a framework where neither component can be sacrificed. The heart of Jesus never separates mercy from truth, as evidenced in his words to the woman caught in adultery: both "Neither do I condemn you" and "Go and sin no more."

3. Recognizing Common Humanity: The universal human search for meaning and identity reflects our creation for relationship with God. All hearts—regardless of sexual orientation—are designed for communion with their Creator and remain unsatisfied until they find that communion.

4. Invitation Rather Than Imposition: Jesus' approach was consistently invitational: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24). The imperative ἀκολουθείτω (akoloutheitō, "let him follow") indicates voluntary discipleship, not coercion. We present truth as an invitation, not an imposition.

5. Patience in Transformation: The heart of Jesus recognizes that transformation is a process, not an event. Paul acknowledges this reality: "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own" (Phil 3:12). This patience extends to others as well as ourselves. When someone is new to the faith, we can't necessarily expect that all of their past sins/lifestyles will change over night. It might take time, and we need to have the patient heart of Jesus as the Holy Spirit does his job in their hearts.

 

Living from the Heart of Christ

What does it mean practically to live from the heart of Jesus in our cultural moment? It means recognizing that true love is not mere affirmation but willing the authentic good of others according to God's design. It means approaching cultural conflicts not as battles to be won but as opportunities to manifest the compassion and truth of Christ.

Living from Christ's heart means recognizing our own need for transformation before addressing others'. Jesus' words ring true: "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Mt 7:3).

The heart of Jesus doesn’t lead with condemnation, but invitation.

It beckons us to a higher standard of love, one that transcends fleeting desires and societal norms. As we navigate the complexities of our modern world, let us remember that our true identity is found in Christ alone. May His sacred heart guide our interactions with others, leading us to love, bless, and show compassion to all those we encounter. In a culture that often prioritizes self-expression over selflessness, may we be beacons of light, reflecting the love and truth of the Sacred Heart to a world in need of redemption.

 

In Jesus' name,

Judah